How To Build A Form That Converts

86% of people fill out at least one web form per week and 67% of users typically spend 1-3 minutes filling out a form.

Most of us dread filling out any type of online forms. They seem to be time consuming and long. The easy part is creating the form, but where most people struggle is actually getting people to fill out the form.

That's where we can help.

In this blog, we will go over tips on how to make successful online forms that convert, have higher submissions and make the process of filling out forms a breeze.

First, let's go over the basics. What is a web form and why should you use them?

What Is A Web Form?

A web form (or HTML form) is a place where users enter data or personal information that’s then sent to a server for processing. For example, users can provide their name and email address to sign up for a newsletter or place an order.

Why Should You Create Web Forms?

Online web forms help marketers and businesses collect responses and data from anyone who interacts with their business.

Whether you use a sign-up form, lead form or any type of multi-step forms, you want to make sure it looks clean and is super simple.

Tips To Create Online Forms That Convert

Keep It Simple

You want to make sure to keep your form super simple, especially if you're tying to increase conversions. No matter what type of form you are creating, if it's complicated or requires a lot of thought or data the less likely potential customers will complete the form.

Research has shown that when you use less fields (around 4-7) and require less data, the higher the conversion rate. The chart below shows just that.

Only Ask For Relevant Information

One thing we need to keep in mind is how someone got to your form. Whether they viewed your website, clicked and ad on social media or an email, they want something you showed them and they ultimately chose to get to your form.

Which is why the form needs to be straight to the point and simple.

Only ask for information that you must have. The less information you ask for, the higher the average conversion rate. In all honestly the only information you must have is their name and email.

For example, we have been running paid Facebook ads to a cold audience to thispage (shown below).

This is a great example of what successful opt-in forms should look like because the opt-in rate is converting at 61.45%. Which is an awesome opt-in rate especially because it's being shown to a cold audience.

Use A CTA Button That Stands Out

A clear call-to-action is insanely important. You want to have a CTA button that is big and bold so it's easy to see and click. Make you button stand out.

It is critical that your leads know exactly what they're supposed to do and how they're supposed to do it. If someone gets to a form and has no idea what to do, they are likely to leave and never complete the form.

For example, the CTA button should say "Join Now" or "Download" in a color that stands out and use big/bold letters. Also, try to use something more creative than just "submit." Unbounce shows that forms that use "submit" have been found to have a 3% decrease in conversions.

Eliminate Distractions

The page that holds your form should not have any distractions. The sole purpose of the form is to generate leads.

On this page you want to avoid having any ads, pop-ups, photos, videos, etc. This page should be clean and simple. You want your prospect to stay focused on filling out the form and not get distracted and forget to fill it out.

Use A Single Column Layout (when it makes sense)

It has been proven that two-column sign up forms can disrupt reading and hinder the completion of a form. However, when it makes sense you can place multiple fields on a line, like first and last name side by side.

Be Browser Friendly

It's also important that your form will work on both mobile and desktop. Another important factor is making sure your form looks good on all browsers.

HubSpot explains that 38% of people will stop engaging with a form if the content and layout looks bad or unprofessional. How your form looks on different devices is critical. The more time you spend making your form look amazing, the more people will want to fill it out.

Conclusion

The best forms are simple, get straight to the point and only want to ask for relevant information. Forms should be simple, not complicated.

If you follow these tips and give people something they value, you will increase the number of people who successfully fill out your forms.

We hope this blog was helpful and if you need any more help on how to create web forms then join our DM Impact community. You can learn tricks and also have a mentor right beside you to keep you up to date on all of the new changes and help you get the results you need!